The present invention relates to edible fat mimetic materials which are solid at room temperature and have melting properties similar to those of natural cocoa butter.
It is known that over 70% of cocoa butter triglycerides have the structure: ##STR2## and that most of the remainder are other palmitate, stearate and oleate combinations.
German Offenlegungschrift Patent No. 28 06 804, published Aug. 23, 1979 discloses lipase inhibitory properties for certain fatty acyl hydroxydiacid diesters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,787 discloses fat mimetic materials which are esters of two or more fatty alcohols and at least one fatty acid with hydroxycarboxylic acids. More particularly, this patent discloses fat mimetic compounds of the formula: ##STR3## where R' is an aliphatic group containing 4 to 30 carbons and the R' groups, which can be the same or different, are adapted to provide a perceptible fat-like character. In this patent there is expressed a preference for products with melting points below about 98.degree. F. (particularly those with relatively sharp melting points of from about 90.degree. to 98.degree. F.) because such materials provide a mouth feel similar to that of natural fats and oils. The various examples in U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,787 and WO Patent No. 89/01293 which is related thereto, describe the preparation of materials which are oily liquids similar to vegetable oil.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fat mimetic material having crystallization and melting characteristics similar to those of good quality cocoa butter. Preferably, this material will have a melting range within 30.degree. to 39.degree. C. as determined by the method described later in this specification.